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Writing something that is forced is difficult. It's difficult to be at peace at the end of a week like the one we just had. Ask my wife, and she'll tell you – “difficult" is the understatement of a lifetime. Sickness has a way of stealing our peace, among other things. But tonight, after many things have “worked themselves out," and we appear to be out of the woods with the illnesses, it seems peaceful. Therefore I write feeling a little less forced than I did with that first sentence.
There are many passages in Scripture that talk about peace, and anyone reading this doesn't need me to go on and on about them, you can google the word “peace" + the word “Bible" and have quite the plethora of resources right in front of you. I just did it. The results are good. The third one on the list is my favorite, and my theme verse for this month: “You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is set stedfast on You, because he trusts in You." (Isaiah 26:3) And the next verse says that “in the Lord is everlasting strength." That reminds me of the Reagan era motto: “Peace through Strength," I've even got a ball cap with that on it. But tonight I'd like to go a different direction with peace, and this will be my meditation for the month of January:
Peace through surrender.
Last year I was fortunate enough to be placed on the South Korea trip. While there, we were fortunate enough to get a tour of the DMZ. I learned a lot that day. I thought the Korean War was over. It's not. Sure, they've got a cease-fire agreement, which is supposed to have ended it, and we (the USA) aren’t fighting over there anymore, but technically the two countries are still at war.
Why?
Because neither side has surrendered.
Then I thought of all the wars since WWII which have “ended.”
I also thought of the current wars.
I realized that it costs a lot to make the other side surrender, and it costs even more to be the side that surrenders. I realized that not many are willing to pay those costs – neither the cost to force it or the cost associated with agreeing to it.
I can't help but apply this spiritually. I think there are many who think the battle with evil is over, that because they believe in Jesus, they have some sort of “cease-fire agreement" with the devil. Nothing could be further from the truth. Our enemy is very active, and we must fight against his forces – we're equipped and empowered to do so. What we need to realize however is that the battle belongs to the Lord. That's where the Isaiah 26 passage and many others come to assist us. All of these Scriptures declare the necessary centrality of surrender to the King of Kings – the Lord Who is a Warrior, Who fights for us, raises up a standard against our enemy, surrounds us with a wall of fire and is a shield around us and a strong tower for us to run into. But there is a cost associated with finding this peace through surrender, it's the cost associated with discipleship, and the cost of discipleship is great; but oh so worth it!
I pray you would find the peace that is beyond comprehension, that passes all understanding, I pray your hearts would be guarded and your mind would be shielded. I pray you'll think on these things. I think it's a great way to start the year!
Peace,
Adam
Linked verses:
Isaiah 26:3 (of course) and vs 4 too
Revelation 19:16, Exodus 15:3, Deuteronomy 1:30, Isaiah 59:19, Zechariah 2:5, Psalm 3:3, Proverbs 18:10
Luke 14:33 Matthew 11:28
Phil 4:6-7 & vs 8 as well